 Poster: A snowHead
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Having just got back from a great trip to Valmorel with a group of 28 of us dotted around various chalets and apartments
we were all ages from 11 year olds through teenagers and 20 somethings up to us oldies around 40-55
we all had such fun I am putting my mind to maybe organising a similar larger trip next season around the end of March 2011
I've decided we ought to hire our own coach and stay in a club type chalet hotel
I'm a convert to the smaller french resorts as the value for money and access around them is so good
any suggestions for hotels not necessarily run by the big companies suitable for a to be honest fairly rowdy crew
nothing too bad but we don't really want to upset young families or be upset by them
ideally we'd like a 50/70 person hotel so we can take over the whole lot !
it absoloutely must be ski in ski out or very very short walk to lifts..after 30 years skiing I've decided lifes way too short to get a bus or drive or walk to the slopes everyday
The resort should have enough for a weeks skiing for mostly intermediate to good skiiers (or link to another one)
There should be a bit of but not necessarily that much nightlife too
I realise its a tall order but any suggestions much appreciated ..and anyone else want to come !
Pedro
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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"Large Rowdy Group" does not normally match up with "a bit of but not necessarily that much nightlife" 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Pedro_2004, you might look at the Snowcoach chalet hotel in Valmeinier (L'Aigle). Linked to Valloire - there's quite a lot of info here on Valloire. They run the coach, thereby saving you the considerable hassle.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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achilles, Not so, they have kids in their group so will probably be staying in most nights - rather than "out partying" they will be "in partying" I'm guessing.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Have you checked out Rocket Ski they have loads of Club Hotels at reasonable prices.
Booking this early may mean you can get what you are after. I get the impression they are quite basic (also used for school trips) but that is reflected in the price.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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achilles, a group that big makes its own nightlife!
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many thanks for the replies so far ...yes we do tend to stay in and make our own party ! ..hence not wanting too many young families around we're really not that bad but a bit of laughing and joking until fairly late can be annoying for those with little ones and one thing we dont want to do is annoy other people (too much) !
I will check out snowcoach and Rocket Ski what is also vital is a decent coach ...I've done the coach thing before and whilst its great the coach could have been more comfortable ...if at all feasible we're looking to take a club class coach and stay in a club class type hotel .
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Pedro, have a look at http://www.interski.co.uk/groups.htm
The Hotel Tavernier in Courmayeur isn't ski in/out, but it is no more than a 2 min walk to the Dolonne lift. Interski has its base up on the hill, so no need to cart your gear to and from each day. A party of your size would get a private pick-up, and probably sole use of the coach.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Pedro_2004 wrote: |
| I've decided we ought to hire our own coach |
Why. Unless you live on the South coast next to the Euro Tunell it's almost always cheaper (and MUCH quicker) to take a plane and then transfer to your resort.
I understand why school groups take coaches - the TO sometimes does not have an ATOL, can collect from the school gates, the school can add an amount to the cost to cover teacher's trip, can be used for in resort evenings out, etc, etc.
But for a private group (unless you really like coaches) it hardly ever makes sense. I have just taken a booking for 90+ people from a ski club who normally take 2 coaches and it's working out cheaper than they paid last year and 18 hours less travelling each way
Take a flight if you can.
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My suggestion would be Andorra. It's very cheap (significantly cheaper than the major French resorts I've been to) and has a fair bit of nightlife in the right resorts (Pas de la Casa) and has a fair few chalethotels to choose from. Plus it keeps you lot out of the nice resorts I'll be going to 
Makes sense by coach as well - getting flights is easy enough, but long transfer to resort from either airport.
Gear hire is relatively cheap, food is relatively cheap, drinks are relatively cheap, and if you've got a large group you will make your own fun wherever you go.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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thanks will look into courmayeur too but don't think it quite fits the bill of ski in ski out ..this is meant to be the perfect hassle free holiday and cable cars don't quite cut it
why take a coach ?
purely the convenience factor
I appreciate its quicker to fly but that involves loads of hassle ..
By Air
drive to airport leaving at least 3 hrs before departure time ,drive round car park looking for place to park ,park the car, unload car and struggle with luggage to bus stop , wait for bus from car park,struggle onto bus with luggage , struggle off bus with luggage , find trolley , load trolley , walk to checkin ,find check in gate, wait in checkin queue,pay for skis and excess baggage, find and walk to different ski check in gate, walk to passport control , queue for passport control, queue for security , take off shoes belts bags coats , shuffle through XRAY, put back on shoes bags belts coats , wait in departure, queue for coffee or drink in departure , look for gate number ,find gate number , walk miles to gate , queue to show passports and tickets, wait at gate, fight for seat on plane, wait to get on plane , fly (easy part) , wait to get off plane, queue for passport control again , walk to luggage area , wait for luggage , walk through customs to coach park , load coach with luggage,wait for next flight to land cos theres another two people on it , transfer 3 hrs to resort with toilet closed cos driver cant be arsed to clean it .
By Coach
drive to pick up point 5 mins away ..transfer luggage to coach , get on coach and drive to ferry ...have food and drink on ferry , drive from ferry port to resort , get off coach
voila job done !
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I would also recommend courmayeur...some nice small hotels, great skiing, nice moutain restaurants. Had a great time with a group there in my youth! Would recommend going with Inghams there.
Walk to the cable car the only drawback.
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Pedro_2004,
Hotel Chamois above Morzine if it's still operating? Ski-in/Ski-out snow permitting
Albergo Ristorante Bar Creforne' above Champoluc - I think they run cable cars down to the village in the evenings
Rifugio Guglielmina above Alagna
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You know it makes sense.
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I agree there's lots to be said for a coach, if you all live quite close to each other in the UK and are staying in the same accommodation. We did 3 coach holidays, one with Ski Olympic, 2 with Snow coach. Quite comfortable coaches, a seating area where you could go for a coffee, films. Delivered right to the door of your accommodation with the same number of kids and suitcases you started with. 2 extra days skiing. And it was cheaper - when we did it, for a family of 5, coach was about half the cost of flying, and on a tight budget that made a difference.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Pedro_2004, if you're looking at Rocketski you should consider:
Hotel Le Morgan, Risoul - les than a minute from the front de neige.
Hotel Le Grand Aigle, Serre Chevalier - ski in/out as long as the snow conditions low down are good.
Hotel Les Rois Mages, Montgenevre - directly opposite the main ski lifts
You could also think about SkiBound's Hotel Frejus, also in Serre Chevalier and directly opposite the main bubble lift at Villeneuve. Add a few more people to the group and you could have sole occupancy.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I agree with Monium, Pas would be a great venue for a large group. I was there last week and they managed to cater for 4,000 Portuguese students while having all the usual Easter ski trippers there. Even with this the pistes were mostly quiet and there was rarely a queue for a lift. Snow conditions were very good too given the time of year, apart from two heavy days. Nowhere seemed to be more than a 5 min walk from accommodation to the lifts, and lockers can be hired closer if that is too much.
My understanding from my instructor is that the Grandvalira area management will happily sort everything out for you too (accommodation, passes, kit hire and lessons) for a reasonable per person price, you just need to sort out the travel. It took us 14 hours to get home (Pas to Bedfordshire via Toulouse and Gatwick airports), partly due to the incompetence of Toulouse airport - so a coach the whole way wouldn't be too much different.
200km of piste, good varied level of runs (although maybe graded a little soft compared to French standards).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wow! This is indeed a great place for large groups. It's really good to have stumbled upon this forum. Thanks for sharing.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Pedro_2004, Take Lizzard,'s advice she has the experience 
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